Aggregator engages farmers under PFJ in Atebubu

The managing director of Integrity Commodities, Mr. Gideon Quaye, has assured farmers in the Atebubu-Amantin municipality of the availability of high-yielding seeds and fertilizers for the next planting season as part of phase two of the ‘planting for food and jobs’ initiative.

Mr. Quaye whose outfit will be the aggregator for the Atebubu-Amantin municipality for the next 5 years said although maize and rice production will be the main focus for the municipality, farmers requiring support for the production of other crops covered under phase 2 will be supported.

Welcoming participants earlier, the Atebubu-Amantin municipal director of agriculture Mr. Bright Atta Boateng said the engagement was to introduce the aggregator to the farmers and also to discuss issues of common interest.

The Atebubu-Amantin municipal chief executive, Edward Owusu, while extolling the benefits of phase one of the PFJ, said government has reviewed the programme in order to deal with some challenges encountered in the earlier phase.

He said government is partnering with the private sector to meet the needs of farmers adding that aggregators will supply all the needed agriculture input and services which cost the farmers will have to pay with their harvest.

The MCE said the high-yielding seed varieties adopted under the programme will ensure good produce for farmers in terms of quality and quantity thus boosting their incomes and urged them to ensure that the land they acquire for this purpose is litigation-free.

Mr. Abu Issa Dimmie a farmer and Parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party NPP for the Atebubu-Amantin constituency in the December general elections said the initiative is a good opportunity for farmers to better their lot and asked for commitment on the part of each one of them to ensure its sustainability.

While asking for the timely supply of input and services on the part of the aggregator, he urged his colleague farmers to adhere strictly to advice from extension agents.

The Bono East regional director of the Department of Agriculture Mr. James Adu said the objective of the new phase is to ensure food sufficiency in grains and legumes, vegetables, plantains, roots, and tubers as well as broiler chicken by 2028 and emphasised the importance of honesty on the part of the farmers if the programme is to be sustained.

The aggregator, together with officials from the department of agriculture clarified a wide range of issues bothering the farmers during an open forum.